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ANTHONY JOSHUA BECOMES BUCKINGHAM PALACE CHIEF
British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua has been awarded his OBE by Prince Charles in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
The 29-year-old currently holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles after winning his March unification clash with Joseph Parker and was honoured for his services to sport back in June.
Thursday’s ceremony marks the latest accolade Joshua has collected after he was also given an MBE in 2013 after claiming an Olympic gold at London 2012.
Prince Charles also awarded Joshua his MBE back in 2013. When the imposing fighter, who is 6ft 6in, shook hands with the Prince after the presentation five years ago, he said Charles joked with him, saying: ‘Shouldn’t you be playing basketball?’
Dressed in a black suit jacket and grey trousers, Joshua once again beamed with delight on his visit to the Palace as he accepted the honour from the Prince of Wales.
The pair were photographed shaking hands and then in discussion in front of the packed audience.
Joshua continues to enjoy some time away from boxing as he waits to see who will be the next to challenge him at Wembley.
Promoter Eddie Hearn wants his client’s next fight to be signed and sealed by early January as the clock ticks down on the heavyweight’s proposed return to the ring.
Joshua is due to fight at Wembley on April 13 but the controversial draw between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in Los Angeles earlier this month has thrown his plans into disarray.
Hearn insists a clash with WBC champion Wilder for the undisputed crown remains their No 1 priority. But with the American expected to face Fury in a rematch, the winner of Saturday’s rematch between Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in London is the current frontrunner.
There have been reports in recent days that AJ is ready to ditch his return to Wembley in exchange for a US debut.
Hearn has also admitted American heavyweight Jarrell Miller is now a ‘viable option’ for the unified champion’s next fight, with New York’s Madison Square Garden and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center considered potential venues.
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Iheanacho and Ndidi on course for return to Premiership as Leicester will not lose points for rule breaches
Leicester City cannot be deducted any points in the second-tier Championship if they are convicted of any violations of the Premier League’s spending rules, the English Football League (EFL) said on Friday.
Nigeria duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi are Leicester players yearning for the club’s return to the English Premiership.
Leicester, who were relegated from the top flight last season, were referred to an independent commission by the Premier League last month for alleged violations of the league’s spending rules.
The Championship’s governing body EFL wrote to the Premier League saying they would apply any sanction handed down on Leicester while they are still in the second tier, a move Leicester opposed.
However, the EFL said they later changed their position in a letter to the English FA’s League Arbitration Panel (LAP).
“EFL has confirmed to all parties that… it does not have the power under the Regulations as currently drafted,” the EFL said in a statement.
Leicester said they will continue to co-operate with Premier League and the EFL with regards to the charges against them.
“Any charges against the Club should be properly and proportionately determined, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time,” Leicester said.
The LAP said that the Premier League Disciplinary Commission’s proceedings against Leicester will not be expedited to conclude by May 4 due to any possible points deductions not being applicable this season.
Leicester are top of the standings in the Championship with 88 points from 41 matches as they seek a promotion back to the Premier League.
-Reuters
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Super Eagles’ kids fly to Spain for UEFA Tourney
Nigeria’s U15 boys, nicknamed Future Eagles, will fly into Spain on Tuesday afternoon for a UEFA U16 Development Tournament to which the African giants have been invited.
The special invitation has come as a result of Nigeria’s pedigree in youth football, in which she has won five world titles at U17 boys’ level and reached the FIFA World Cup final on two occasions at U20 level.
As part of its preparation for the tournament, the Future Eagles trained for a week at the Remo Stars’ Sports Institute in Ikenne, during which it played two matches against the Remo Stars’ U16 boys (Beyond Limits FC), winning one and losing the other.
Only last month, the Future Eagles, coached by Patrick Bassey, also won one and lost one against their Moroccan counterparts on a two-match tour of that North African country. Their first game ended in a 2-3 defeat, but they buckled up to win the second game 5-3 in the city of Kenitra.
The UEFA U16 Tournament, which brings warm memories of the UEFA-CAF U17 Meridian Tournament that started in 1997 but was discontinued a decade after, will take place at the Pinatar Arena Football Centre in San Pedro del Pinatar.
It can be recalled that the UEFA-CAF Meridian Tournament was part of a cooperation agreement between UEFA and CAF, and Nigeria won the inaugural tournament in 1997. The Eaglets defeated the Spain U17 team 3-2 in the final in Lisbon, Portugal.
Spain won the next three tournaments hosted by South Africa (1999), Italy (2001) and Egypt (2003) before France broke their run by winning the 2005 edition hosted by Turkey. The tournament was abolished in 2007.
At this new tournament, the Future Eagles will play against Belgium on Friday, 12th April (8pm), face Italy on Sunday, 14th April (8pm) and square up to England on Wednesday, 17th April (1pm). Other games will see England against Italy on Friday, 12th April 5pm), England against Belgium on Sunday, 14th April (5pm) and Italy against Belgium on Wednesday, 17th April (11am).
The Future Eagles’ delegation to Spain, inclusive of 20 players, will be led by Zannah Mohammed Malah, a member of the NFF Technical and Development Committee.
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THE NIGERIAN XPRESS HITS THE NEWSPAPER MARKET
The Nigerian Xpress, a top-of-the-range print and online newspaper, will be formally unveiled to the public in Lagos on Saturday, December 22, 2018. The latest newspaper in the Nigerian media industry, is published by The Xpress Publications Limited.
The emergence of the newspaper is informed by the need to make the difference in fulfilling the information needs of Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic group, class, gender, religion and political convictions.
Envisioned as a market place of ideas, this latest addition to the array of newspapers in the Nigerian media industry will storm the market as a one-stop shop for information, education and entertainment.
Rolling out with an all-colour 40-page print copy and a strong online edition, the publication is also fashioned to cater for the unmet needs of the reading public, something that many existing newspapers have not been able to serve.
It also seeks to bridge the gap between the professionalism of the traditional media and the innovativeness of the new media.
The Nigerian Xpress marketing edge includes: Investigative reports, big interviews and citizen-generated reportage.
Speaking at the Ikeja corporate office of the newspapers in Lagos, midweek, Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Nigerian Xpress, Mr. Steve Nwosu, assured that the newspaper would deliver truthful news and great entertainment that add value to life, while also applying the best journalistic practices and citizen engagement.
“We will be firm in the pursuit of truth, justice and fairness to all, regardless of tongue, colour and status,” Nwosu said, adding that the paper, whose motto is to deliver ‘news as it breaks,’ would be a friend to all that wish for good of everyone, and a foe to anyone that stands in the way of good for all.
He said further that the newspaper would uplift the freedom, dignity and economic empowerment of Nigerians and also encourage, as well as support causes and programmes that improve literacy and leadership.
The public presentation of the maiden print copy and the online edition, will be held at The Colonades, on Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The occasion will be
co-chaired by Dr. Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa State and Aremo
Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State.
Keynote Speakers are Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN;
Malam Is’haq Modibo Kawu, Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting
Commission (NBC); and Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, Provost, Nigerian Institute of
Journalism (NIJ). They will be speaking on the topic, ‘2019: The Media and the
Challenge of Free and Fair Elections’.
Other members of The Nigerian Xpress team include, Alhaji Abdulfatah Oladeinde, Editor; Mr. Kunle Solaja, Contributing Editor; Ms Rose Moses, Editor-at-Large; and Mr. Emeka Okoroanyanwu, Editor, Business/Special Projects.
Others yet are Mr. Lekan Adeniran, Political Editor; Mrs. Yemisi Olusina, Features/Lifestyle Editor and Mr. Obioma Ogukwe, Head, Finance/Administration.
The Nigerian Xpress is coming on board with a
management team that has logged over 350 years of cumulative journalism and
media management experience that cuts across virtually all the major print
media titles in the country.
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